Honest answers to the questions
NorCal homeowners actually ask.
Most solar FAQ pages are written to sell. This one is written to inform. Whether you move forward with us or not, you should understand what's actually going on with solar in 2026.
What's available in 2026.
What isn't. And why it matters.
Is the 30% federal solar tax credit still available in 2026?
For cash buyers, no. The federal residential solar tax credit under IRS §25D was terminated for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21). Cash and loan buyers who install solar or battery storage in 2026 are not eligible for this credit.
Any installer who is still pitching the 30% credit to a cash buyer is not being straight with you. Ask them to show you the IRS citation. Consult your own CPA before relying on any tax benefit.
What is the §48E commercial credit I keep hearing about?
The §48E Clean Electricity Investment Credit is the commercial version of the solar credit. It applies to third-party-owned systems through 2027. When a financing company installs a system on your roof under a prepaid lease, the financing company owns the system and claims the §48E credit. They price that saving into your kWh rate. You don't claim it directly. You benefit from it through a lower rate.
This is why the prepaid lease (Path A) can still reflect a federal incentive in its pricing in 2026, even though cash buyers get nothing. Revolt Services is not a tax advisor. Talk to your CPA before making a decision based on this.
How much is the SMUD battery rebate and is it still available?
Up to $10,000 per household through SMUD's My Energy Optimizer Partner+ program. Calculated at $500 per kWh of qualifying battery capacity, minus a 20% reserve holdback. A single Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5 kWh) typically earns roughly $5,400, subject to current SMUD program terms.
As of May 2026, the program is open. Funds are first come, first served and can run out. There is no guarantee funds will be available when you are ready. Enrollment must happen within 90 days of Permission to Operate. Verify current terms at smud.org before signing.
What is the California property tax exclusion for solar?
California Revenue and Taxation Code §73 currently excludes qualifying active solar energy systems from property tax reassessment as new construction. This exclusion is scheduled to sunset on January 1, 2027, under SB 710 (signed October 2025). Systems placed in service before January 1, 2027 keep the exclusion until the next change in ownership.
Battery storage alone, without solar, may not qualify. Consult your county assessor's office to confirm how the exclusion applies to your specific installation. We are not tax advisors.
Does the SMUD rebate apply to a prepaid lease?
No. The SMUD My Energy Optimizer Partner+ rebate requires that the homeowner is the SMUD customer of record and the system owner. On a prepaid lease, the financing company owns the battery. The rebate belongs to the system owner. If the SMUD rebate is a priority for your decision, the cash purchase path (Path B) is the one that keeps it.
Path A and Path B.
The real differences.
What is the difference between a prepaid lease and a cash purchase?
On a prepaid lease (Path A): a financing company owns the system, installs it on your roof at no upfront cost, and you pay a fixed kWh rate that is lower than PG&E. No UCC-1 on your home. The §48E credit is claimed by the financing company and reflected in your rate. You cannot claim the SMUD rebate.
On a cash purchase (Path B): you own the system outright. No monthly payment. You are eligible for the SMUD rebate up to $10,000 if you're in SMUD territory. The California property tax exclusion applies. No federal tax credit in 2026.
We model both on your actual bill and show them side by side. Neither is universally better. It depends on your utility, your plans for the home, and your financial situation.
Does the solar lease put a lien on my home?
The prepaid lease structure we offer does not use a UCC-1 fixture filing. The financing company secures the equipment as personal property, not as a fixture attached to your home. Some solar leases and loans from other companies do use a UCC-1. Ask any company you are considering to be explicit about this before you sign anything.
What happens to the solar system when I sell my home?
On Path B (cash): the system is part of the home and transfers to the buyer. Homes with owned solar typically sell for more. The transaction is clean.
On Path A (lease): the buyer needs to either assume the lease in their name or you buy out the system before close. We handle the paperwork and walk you through timing it correctly. It is manageable, but it adds a step to your sale process. Some buyers prefer owned solar for simplicity.
Which path is better for me?
We don't know until we see your bill, your utility, your roof, and your plans. Path A tends to fit better if you're on PG&E, don't want upfront cost, and want the system maintained by the financing company. Path B tends to fit better if you're in SMUD territory and want the rebate, or if you want to own the system outright and have no ongoing obligations.
The free consult is where we model both on your actual bill and put the numbers side by side. No pressure to decide that day.
How your utility affects
the solar math.
What is NEM 3.0 and how does it affect solar?
NEM 3.0, officially called the Net Billing Tariff, is PG&E's current solar rate for new installations as of April 14, 2023. Export credits dropped by about 75% compared to what NEM 2.0 customers receive. If you install solar on PG&E today without a battery, most of what your panels produce during the day gets exported to PG&E at a very low rate. You then buy it back in the evening at full price.
A home battery fixes this. You store your midday production and use it at night. For most PG&E homeowners, solar and a battery together makes significantly more sense than solar alone in 2026.
What is the difference between SMUD and PG&E for solar?
Significant. SMUD customers get the battery rebate up to $10,000, lower baseline rates, and the Solar and Storage Rate. Solar without a battery works better on SMUD than on PG&E because the export credit structure is more favorable.
PG&E customers are on NEM 3.0, which cut export credits by 75% in 2023. PG&E rates have also climbed 104% from 2015 to 2025 per CPUC data, with more increases coming under the Wildfire Mitigation Act. For PG&E homeowners, a battery is practically required for solar to make strong financial sense. For SMUD homeowners, the rebate changes the math completely.
We know both systems well and design your system around your actual utility structure.
How does the Tesla VPP program work with SMUD?
SMUD pays a quarterly grid-services incentive to Tesla Powerwall owners enrolled in the Virtual Power Plant (VPP) program. During peak grid events, SMUD can draw on enrolled batteries to reduce grid stress. SMUD preserves a 20% reserve in the battery at all times so you maintain backup power during any grid event.
The quarterly payment is $110 per Powerwall, $220 for two, $330 for three or more. As of 2026, the VPP quarterly payment is available only for Tesla Powerwall, not Enphase. Both battery brands receive the one-time enrollment incentive. [CONFIRM Revolt Services Tesla Certified Installer status for VPP enrollment eligibility.]
I'm on Roseville Electric or Pioneer Community Energy. Does any of this apply?
The SMUD $10,000 rebate applies only to SMUD customers. Roseville Electric and Pioneer Community Energy have their own net metering and incentive structures that differ from both SMUD and PG&E. The California §73 property tax exclusion and the 2026 federal credit reality (cash buyers get nothing) apply regardless of utility.
We install across Roseville Electric and Pioneer Community Energy territory and know the rate structures for both. Call us at 916-461-9961 and we'll walk through what applies to your specific utility.
What to expect
from the install process.
How long does solar or battery installation take?
Solar: from signed contract to Permission to Operate, typically 4 to 10 weeks. Battery only: typically 3 to 8 weeks. Most of that time is permits and utility interconnection, not the physical install. The install is usually 1 to 2 days on site for solar, one day for battery only.
Timeline varies by county. El Dorado County, Sacramento County, and Placer County each have their own permit turnaround pace.
Can I add a battery to solar I already have from another company?
Often yes. The main factor is inverter compatibility. If you have a string inverter, a Tesla Powerwall 3 with its built-in inverter typically integrates cleanly. If you have Enphase microinverters, the Enphase IQ Battery 5P is the natural pairing. We review your existing system before recommending anything. Call us and we'll tell you if it's straightforward or if there are constraints.
If you are in SMUD territory, the SMUD rebate applies to a battery added to an existing solar system. The 90-day enrollment window runs from Permission to Operate on the battery install.
Do I need solar to get a battery?
No. A standalone battery qualifies for the SMUD rebate and provides outage backup even without solar. The battery can charge from the grid during off-peak rate hours and discharge in the evening when rates are high. You can add solar later. The 90-day SMUD enrollment window runs from Permission to Operate on the battery install.
What happens after Permission to Operate is issued?
PTO is the day your system is authorized to turn on and connect to the grid. You'll get a call from us that day. If you have a battery in SMUD territory, the 90-day enrollment window for the SMUD rebate starts from PTO. We file the enrollment paperwork before the window closes. Your monitoring app will show live production data from PTO forward.
What if my electrical panel needs an upgrade?
Panel upgrades are sometimes required depending on your existing panel capacity and the size of the system. We assess panel capacity during the design process and include any required upgrade in the proposal before you sign. There are no surprise electrical costs after contract. If an upgrade is needed, we explain what it involves and what it costs.
Who we are and
how we work.
Do we have to decide anything on the first call?
No. The consult is to understand your situation and show you the numbers. We walk through both paths, explain what each means for your bill, and answer your questions. There is no pressure to decide anything that day. Most people need time to think it over, and that is exactly how it should work. We are not going to call you fourteen times.
Are you affiliated with V3 Electric or Senior Energy Group?
No. Revolt Services is an independent licensed solar and battery contractor. Eric Warner is the owner. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or in any way connected to V3 Electric, Senior Energy Group, or any other solar company. If you had an experience with one of those companies and want to understand your current situation, call us at 916-461-9961. We can usually help you figure out where you stand.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Revolt Services is a licensed California solar and electrical contractor. CSLB License #[CONFIRM]. You can verify this at cslb.ca.gov. We carry workers' compensation and general liability insurance. Full details at License and Insurance.
What areas do you serve?
Sacramento, El Dorado Hills, Folsom, Roseville, Rocklin, Granite Bay, Auburn, Citrus Heights, and surrounding NorCal. We install across SMUD, PG&E, Roseville Electric, and Pioneer Community Energy territory. If you're outside this list, call 916-461-9961. We may still cover your area.
How is Revolt Services different from the solar companies that knock on my door?
No tablet. No same day signature. No calling back fourteen times. No script built around one path. We size your system from your actual bill data, not your square footage. We show you both paths on one page and let you decide. We tell you when the 30% tax credit is dead for your situation instead of pretending it isn't. We file your SMUD rebate paperwork instead of leaving it to you.
Most people we talk to have already been pitched by two or three other companies. We're aware of that and we know what you've probably already heard. Our goal is to give you the information you need to make a good decision, whether you buy from us or not.
Call us. Eric picks up.
If your question isn't here, call or text 916-461-9961. If Eric is on a roof or in a consult, he calls back same day. No scripted voicemail. No callback queue. Just a straight answer.
Deep reads on the big topics
- How It Works — Lease vs Cash comparison
- SMUD Rebate — full eligibility and amounts
- NEM 3.0 — what changed on PG&E
- 2026 Tax Credit — what ended and what's left
- Property Tax Exclusion — the Jan 1, 2027 sunset
- Powerwall vs Enphase — which battery fits your home
- Home Battery — full service page
- Solar — full service page